Versacart - deer cart opinions

[JDinPA]

Has anyone used the Versacart deer cart?

I need to replace my deer cart and was wondering if anyone could give me their opinion on the Versacart deer cart. It's the cart with the wheels at an angle and it seems to have a V shaped are to hold the deer. It's more expensive than most carts and I was wondering if it's worth it.

Thanks,
jD

[waiting4fall]

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/pod/horizontal-pod.jsp?id=0005568&navCount=1&parentId=cat601052&masterpathid=&navAction=push&cmCat=MainCatcat21424-cat601052_TGP&parentT ype=index&indexId=cat601052&rid=

 http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff241/waiting4fall/img017.jpg

I don't know about the Versa cart. I can tell you I drag this thing around. Actually 1.5 miles each way yesterday. It's awesome, I recommend it highly. Also you can read the reviews on the Cabelas product page to get an idea of real world opinions.

[Swanny in MD]

Do a google on it and you'll find a couple reviews...just read them...they're highly in favor of it, no complaints except it's pricey.

Don't want to discourage you from buying it, but if you have any handyman skills at all or have a good friend that does - there are various cart designs that you can buid for cheap.  Do a search here - I remember Jason Westbrok had one.

I've used this type for many many moons...easy to make and unless you shoot some absolute monster deer (>250#'s) it's the cat's meow as far as I'm concerned.  Can find the 1 1/4" galvanized conduit for cheap used...most electricians have the stuff laying around (I had some leftover from a job).  Bike tire was free.  Replace the tarp every ten or so years.  If you were close enough I'd give you a hand - where's ya at in PA?

I can cover twice the amount of ground and twice the thick stuff with less effort than the two wheel buggies that my friends have.  Plus it doubles as a kid cart.      

     

[Dave2old]

JD -- please forgive a westerner's opinion if you can ... but how far do you normally have to haul your deer? The idea of bring an animal out whole is patently eastern. Here, we skin and quarter 'em, whether deer, antelope or elk, right where they fall, and backpack 'em out in pieces. This year, a friend and I packed out three elk in 10 days, average 2 miles (downhill, as we only hunt elk uphill for that reason!) almost effortlessly. The faster you get the hide off and the parts separated, the better for the meat. You can still age by hanging as usual, but now you also can age simply by sticking the meat bags in a refrigerator for 5 days. Just my 1 cents. The simpler, the less gear required, the better ... my motto. But even with a cart, you're using muscle power, and I applaud you. Dave

[twigflicker]

Joe,

I've had one for about 6-7 years... Absolutely love it... The angled wheels really shine on uneven ground... We don't have quite the hills WV does but it has worked like a charm around here...

Dave...  Many of us Easterners don't have that option of quartering... In Indiana we have to check the deer in whole...

A buddy of mine killed a nice 9 pointer that took us 45 minutes to walk to and just over an hour to get out with the cart...  It wouldn't have happened that quick doing the ole' drag...

Lots of good options, but the versacart is built well!

Jonathan

[Arrow Slinga]

I checked with the company who made the versacart and it is no longer available(to my understanding). I went with the cabela's mag hauler that a few recommended on this site and it works great!If you find somewhere you can still get them send me a pm I would like to have one.

[buckracks7]

I have one I would sell if I didn't have to ship it.

[LV2HUNT]

We have the Cabela's Super Mag Hauler and have been very happy with it. We have used it for numerous hauls but mostly where trails existed.

However, we had to bring a buck out the long and hard way on Saturday and it worked perfectly. This was exactly the scenario I envisioned when I bought it. We had to go over trees, through uncut brush, all uphill and it just cruised on through. We were easily able to roll and lift it over large deadfalls with no problems.

Be warned, I tried their light aluminum one before this and basically bent it getting it out of the box. You want something simple and heavy duty when you have to get one out of a hole especially at night. At night you will be bulldozing and are not going to baby it.

I am not familiar with the VersaCart but highly recommend this one. FWIW.

[Gutshot]

I have uses a VersCart for years now.  It's the best cart I've ever used, and I've used a few.  This cart will go through just about anything except trees.  The best thing about this cart though, is how the deer or object is balanced on the cart.  When positioned correctly it's effortless.  The last deer I hauled with it was a 1/2 mile haul, up and down ravines.  I did it with one hand and carried my bow in the other.  I wouldn't use anything else.

[JDinPA]

Originally posted by waiting4fall:
 http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/pod/horizontal-pod.jsp?id=0005568&navCount=1&parentId=cat601052&masterpathid=&navAction=push&cmCat=MainCatcat21424-cat601052_TGP&parentT  ype=index&indexId=cat601052&rid=

  http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff241/waiting4fall/img017.jpg  

I don't know about the Versa cart. I can tell you I drag this thing around. Actually 1.5 miles each way yesterday. It's awesome, I recommend it highly. Also you can read the reviews on the Cabelas product page to get an idea of real world opinions.

I have this one:
 http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/pod/standard-pod-wrapped.jsp?_DARGS=/cabelas/en/common/catalog/pod-link.jsp_A&_DAV=MainCatcat21424-cat601052_TGP-cat601052&rid=&indexId= cat601052&navAction=push&masterpathid=&navCount=1&parentType=index&parentId=cat601052&id=0005601
And it's light and compact, but on uneven terrain it's horrible due to the axle length.

[JDinPA]

Originally posted by ken swann:

I'm above Philly. That cart is neat looking. I have a bike tire in the garage and just threw out some conduit, I may have some more.
How do you attach the tarp to the conduit?

[JDinPA]

Originally posted by buckracks7:
I have one I would sell if I didn't have to ship it.

You can drive it out to PA and I'll buy it from you.

[JDinPA]

Originally posted by Gutshot:
I have uses a VersCart for years now.  It's the best cart I've ever used, and I've used a few.  This cart will go through just about anything except trees.  The best thing about this cart though, is how the deer or object is balanced on the cart.  When positioned correctly it's effortless.  The last deer I hauled with it was a 1/2 mile haul, up and down ravines.  I did it with one hand and carried my bow in the other.  I wouldn't use anything else.

I can see the balance - I like the Deep v where the deer drops in.

[JDinPA]

Originally posted by Dave2old:
JD -- please forgive a westerner's opinion if you can ... but how far do you normally have to haul your deer? The idea of bring an animal out whole is patently eastern. Here, we skin and quarter 'em, whether deer, antelope or elk, right where they fall, and backpack 'em out in pieces. This year, a friend and I packed out three elk in 10 days, average 2 miles (downhill, as we only hunt elk uphill for that reason!) almost effortlessly. The faster you get the hide off and the parts separated, the better for the meat. You can still age by hanging as usual, but now you also can age simply by sticking the meat bags in a refrigerator for 5 days. Just my 1 cents. The simpler, the less gear required, the better ... my motto. But even with a cart, you're using muscle power, and I applaud you. Dave [/QUO

Some eastern states you have to take your deer or bear to a check station.
I took a deer out of state last week and had to drag it 1/2 mile down three ridges. Then walk another 1/2 mile to the truck to get my cart.
If I could have skinned, took the backstracks and quartered it - I might have...

[Gutshot]

I don't know if any website shows it or not, but you place the deer's neck, just below the head in the little "V" that's at the top of the handle and place a small bungee around it.  That's it.  I used it today for the first time in quite a while.  I was hauling some stands in a very long way and through a lot of fallen limbs/trees.  I just can't believe how stable this cart is when going over stuff.  

The problem with the one from Cabela's is that "you" are supporting all the weight.  Not with the Versacart.  I don't care if it's 50#'s or 200#'s, it'll haul the same when placed on the cart right.  It's hard to believe, but it's true.

[JDinPA]

Gutshot,
I hear you on the balancing, and I'm sold on the cart.
But it looks they aren't being made anymore. I emailed the owner last week and never got a response...

[SOS]

I love mine, here's my daughter when she was 14 dragging her own spike buck out of the woods.  Has had two 150# hogs and a deer and a hog on it at the same time.

 

[LV2HUNT]

Not that it matters but:

"The problem with the one from Cabela's is that "you" are supporting all the weight."

That is incorrect, there is no weight on the handle on the Super Mag Hauler. As you said it does not matter if it is 500 or 75 pounds it feels the same. Except when you are lifting it over deadfalls   :(  .

[Swanny in MD]

"That is incorrect, there is no weight on the handle on the Super Mag Hauler. As you said it does not matter if it is 500 or 75 pounds it feels the same. Except when you are lifting it over deadfalls  . "

That is one disadvantage of the style I made - there's quite a bit of weight on the handles, but I wheel wheel barrows around all the time and don't mind it.  The trade off is the stuff I hunt is often really thick and picking out an exit with a two wheel cart is more difficult than with a one wheel cart.  I can reverse pull over a log that is about a foot tall though.

BTW:  I sewed the tarp on with some FF bow string....took a couple hours.

[Earl E. Nov...mber]

Biggest problem with any of them is how they fill up the truck when your are "going" hunting.. Darn things are just bulky. At one time someone was advertising one where the wheels folded under, making a flat package you could put behind the seat of your truck.. Haven't seen it advertised in a few years, but always thought they would be the answer..
Actually thought of making one like Ken's, but rather than a wheel just curl the ends up like sled runners. Possibly putting a joint mid way in the handles. (Screwed or Pinned, but had not thought of the canvas.. Thanks for that.. Might rig a shoulder harness for it too.